Grading and evening machine



Aug. 1, 1933. L. A. coGswELL GRADING AND EVENING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 6; 1922 a.. A. coGswELL `3,920,842

File oct. 6. 1922 s sheets-sheet. 2

ug. l, 1933.

GRADING Ann EVENING MACHINE Aug. l, 1933. A. coGswELl.

GRADING AND EVENING MACHINE Filed Oct. 6. 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug E 1933@ L. A. @@GSWELL g GRADING AND EVENING MACHINE me@ oci. e, 1922 s sneetsusneet 4 Aug. l, 1933. L, A. coGswELL GRADING AND EVENING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 6. 1922 e www Ile .um f hm. uw .u l im Nn m Y \H J 9.2K@

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VL... A. COGSWELL l GRADING AND EVENING MACHINE Filed Oct. 6. 1922 8 Sheets-.Sheket 6 Aug. l, 1933. L.. A` coGswl-:LL 1,920,842

GRADING-AND EVENING MACHINE Filed OCT.. 6. 1922 8 Sheets-Sheec 7 All@ l, 1933- L. A. coGswELL GRADING AND EVENING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Oct. 5. 1922 Patented l, 1933 PATENT OFFICE GRADING AND EVENING MACHINE Leander A. Cogswell, Manchester, N. Il., assignor to Lacene Manufacturing Company, Manchester, N. H., a Corporation of Maine Aopuoaaoo ootoooic, 1922. sonal No 592,915

78 Claims.

, My invention is an improvement along the same lines as my copending application Serial No. 494,009, filed August 20, 1921, now Patent No. 1,693,638, dated December 4, 1928, the present machine being constructed to speed up the output and facilitate the accuracy and certainty ofthe work. Other less important objects relate to minimizing the travel of parts, rendering the machine more nearly noiseless, and adapting it to a wider range of work. f

My invention also aims to make the machine more wholly automatic is well as being speeded up in output and thereby avoid the delays and errorsl which inevitably attend partial hand labor. This aim is accomplished, mainly by so correllating' and timing the feeding means, measuring means, l transmission means, and grading means that the ingoing mechanism (feeding and measuring) is started to feed and receive a second piece before the first piece has reached the grading means.v In the more complex machine, where a plurality of graders are employed, the timing starts the ingoing end of the machine before the stamping or indicating, (in case these are employed), starts the latter before the skiving begins, distributesl the outgoing blank before'. the next blank begins skiving, and sets the diso tributor before the vskiving of said next blank begins. In the preferred embodiment as hereinv shown, I provide a plurality of main graders, in the form of vgrade stamping. grade indicating, and `grade splitting or skiving mechanisms and a secondary grader in the form of a grade distributing mechanism, all timed so as to gain each increment of feeding movement or progress of the blank wherever possible while eliminating all delay or hesitation in the progress of the work and all idle', false or lost motion. The slide bar or means for selectively adjusting the main graders is simplymoved directly from one adjusted position which it occupies or from the iron of one-blank to -a next position corresponding to the iron or measurement of the next blank tobe graded by said main graders. In this connection, I preferably lock said main graderspositively and'do this by the first blank before it enters said graders, and unlock them by the second blank. The ingoing end of the machine starts operating in connection with the second blankv before the 0 rst blank enters or is operated uponby any of the grading mechanisms at the outgoing end of the machine. 'I'he automatic feed-in device goes after the second blank and starts it towardsthe detecting rolls, the gate rises and the rolls separate to receive said blank, the gate`f`alls or isV lowered on top of the blank, and the rolls then come together on the blank just as the forward end gets far enough for that purpose, it may be immediately asthe leading end of the blank passes the centers of said rolls. A first work-trip then, preferably, starts the increment-preserving operation of the measuring mechanism `so that thereafter all the successively thinner spots detected in the work are noted and preserved. As this second blank proceeds, the first blank is being graded in such manner as is desired, as for instance, it is being marked or stamped and then skived. The mechanism intervening between the grading mechanism and detecting mechanism, and which is responsive to the latter for controlling the former, is const cted in two parts capable of independent but c perative action, one part being directly responsive to the detecting mechanism while the other part is controlling the grading mechanism andis'held locked in connection with the latter, and then `when said responsive rst part has been fully adjusted in response .to the detecting mechanism and locked in its final adjustment, preferably at about the instant that the first blank has escaped from the skiving knife, the second blank depresses a second trip thereby unlocking the grader controller, which, thereupon, automatically and instantly is adjusted to the measurement 'for which said responsive portion of the adjusting mechanism has been set and at the same time correspondingly adjusts the main graders (i. e. the stamp, visual grader and skiver). As soon as this has been accomplished a third trip is actuatedl by or with reference to the moving second blank which operates to lock the controlling mechanism for the said main graders and said second blank is thereupon grade-marked, skived, etc. At the instant that the leading end of the second blank engaged or operated the third trip the distributor was unlocked and automatically set for distributing the second blank and then locked (the first blank having just previouslyA been distributed). For this purpose the governing mechanism which adjusts and sets vthe distributor is made in two parts the same as is the setting mechanism between the detecting means and the main graders. Each of these mechanisms consists of two parts or portions, oney portion for controlling the grading 'means and the other portion responsive to the preceding mechanism for adjusting said controlling portion. As in my preceding copending application above mentioned, the adjusting portici of the setting mechanism for the distributor responds to and is governed by the adjusting portion of the main setting mechanism which latter is itself-responsive m ingandsettingthemaingradingmechanismsin response to the adjustments of the setting mechanism by the detecting means, then locking said grading mechanisms as thus set and at the same time unlocking the distributor setting mecha.-

nism and thereby permitting it to be adjusted and set to the same measurement as the main graders have just been set, whereupon it is at once locked in its new adjustment, while leaving the responsive portion of the main setting mechanism free to be adjusted for the succeeding blank then being fed into the machine.

In addition to the above chief features of my invention, the latter includes many subordinate but yet important features of invention, particularly those relating to the skiving and to the feeding mechanism, means for preventing possible wedging or jamming from being disastrous, means for preventing uncertain movements, rebounds, etc., all of which will be pointed out in the course of the detailed description and need not therefore be referred to further at this point.

'I'he embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings is presented as illustrative Y of the invention and it will be understood that the main features of the invention may be embodied in a wide variety of diering mechanisms.

In the drawings in which I'have illustrated a preferred embodiment from many possible embodiments, Y

Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal sectionalview:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail of a portion of the front' cross-head;

Figs. 3 and 4 show the machine in side elevation partly broken away; Fig. 3 looking at the lett-hand side of the machine and Fig. 4 at the right hand side;

Fig. 5 is a rear fragmentary view of the rear wall of the stack or hopper showing a portion of the adjusting mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the machine taken in a plane just labove the work-table part- 1y broken away for showing details beneath, and

sectioned to show details of the stamp operating clutch and adjacent parts; y

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional broken view of the transmission mechanism and 'adjacent parts; Fig. sis an enlarged view in side elevation of a portion of the distributor setting mechanism; Fig. 9 shows an enlarged perspective of the locking dogs which are shown in edge elevation in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective detail of the locking end of the setting sectorfor the main graders;

Fig. `11 is a perspective detail of the dogs that cooperate with the parts shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the setting sector for the main graders;

Fig. v13 is a Icross-sectional detail on the line 13 Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical sectional on the curved line 14-14 Fig. 12;

Pig. 15 is a top plan view of the top sector of detail l the transmission mechanism;

Fig. 16 is a vertical crosectibnal view of the machine taken just back of the front cross-head looking forward; e

Fig. 17 is a similar view of therear cross-head looking rearward;

- Fig. 18 is an enlarged detail in front elevation of a fragment of the setting mechanism for the distributor shown immediately above 'in Fig. 17; Fig. 19 is a sectional vertical detail partly broken away of the front portion of thefeeding mechanism;

Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional detail looking at the deiiector or adjuster toward the left side thereof, Fig. 21;

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary detail in front elevation of the rear wall of the stack or hopper looking rearward;

i Fig. 22 is a horizontalcross-section of kthe adjusting guides and rear wall showing thevoperating mechanism in top plan;

Fig. 23' is a view similar to Fig. 21 showing a different construction;

Fig. 24 is a diagrammatic view in top plan partly sectioned illustrating the lposition of the work in the hopper; and

Fig; 25 is an enlarged top plan of the yielding spring connection shown in side elevation just above it in Fig. 19.

For-convenience of illustration I have shown my invention applied to the general type of Nichols evening and grading machine shown in Patent 1,046,213 of December 3, 1912 and still further in my before-mentioned copending application Serial No. 494,009 filed August 20, 1921 for Automatic top-lift grading and distributing machine. The present machine is primarily intended for handling relatively long and large grading mechanisms adjacent the outgoing end 1 of` the machine, and the other for transmitting the measurements fromsaid common single device to the distributor or secondary grader. In each case the transmitting mechanism consists of two parts operating dissimultaneously, the first portion being operated in response to a preceding mechanism and then itself positioning or controlling the adjustment of the second portion. For convenience and clearness of description I arbitrarily designate the upper or first set of graders as the main graders and the distributor as a secondary grader. This is simply so as to have terminology to distinguish the grader or graders-thatare set or controlled by the first setting mechanism from the grader (or it might be ents for such details as are not herein either shown ordescribed.

At the ingoing end of the machine are the usual two feeler rolls 1, 2, the former being positively driven and constituting a feed roll and the latter being freely movable up and down to institute a detector or feeler roll proper and being supported in a housing or yoke 3 and held normally downward under considerable tension by a spring 4. This upper roll 2 is lifted by any suitable means as by end lifter.; 5 formed as the upper ends of elbow levers pivoted at 6 and connected together at 7' one of their lower ends 8 having a bearing block 9, see Fig. 3 in position to be engaged by a cam 11 on a stub shaft 12 carrying at its outer end a gear 13 driven by a pinion 14 in mesh with the driven part 15, (see Figs. 6 and 16) of a front clutch. The driving member 16 of this clutch is fast on the outer end of the driven shaft which carries the feed roll 1. The stub shaft 12, as hrein shown, contains a second cam 17 engaged by thebent end ofva rod 18 pivoted at 19 to a gate or front trip 20 for operating a locking pawl of the setting mechanism in accordance withy the feeding of the blanks. At its inner end the stub shaft 12 carries a crank 21, (see Figs. 1 and 6) pivotally connected at its free end to a link 22 which in turn is connected at its forward end to a post 23 depending from a feed block 24, herein shownas carrying a feed hook or-WOrkprojector 25 to engage and feed fort. ard into the machine the blanks 26 from a hopper as shown in Figs. 4 and 19. The feed block 24 reciprocates in ways 27 of a bracket or table 28 at the ingoing end of the machine. As this machine is intendedto be wholly automatic I have provided means for guarding against a possible jam or wedging of blanks due .to improper feeding or to specially unmanageable leather (such as curled or extra thick or flabby pieces) said means consisting of a yielding portion interposed in the link 22, herein shown as consisting of a heavy'spring 29 secured at one end to` or 'in the kpost 23 and at its other end to or in the link 22, the latter being guided between short ears 30 extending from the post within the spring, and said link 22 resting loosely against said post under normal conditions. Thus, when theprojector 25 is moved inwardly with a blank, if the blank should jam no disaster can take place even though the feeding movement of the vcrank 21 and link 22 are automatic and absolute, because the spring 29 simply per-` mits the projector and its yblankto halt a short or longer time as may be required to permit the clockwise, see Fig. 7 and said roll was then lowered on the blank. The arm 38 is pivoted at 39 tosaid rod and is mounted to turn on a pivot or post 40 intermediate its length. Atsorne convenient point in connection therewith I provide suitable means for taking'up the measurements of successive thinness increments detected by the tiOn) detecting mechanism and for convenience to this end I provide a lateral arm 41 extending integrally from the arm 38 and provided at its free end with a toothed sector 42 having on its under side thinness measuring teeth 43 and at its edge locking teeth 44 (corresponding respectively to vthe teeth 34 and 78 ci' Patent 1,046,213 andto teeth 17 and 18 of my aforesaid copending applica- The teeth 44 are engaged by a locking pawl 45 mounted to slide in a block 46, (see Fig. 7) lunder the influence of a spring 47 when released by the dropping of the gate trip 20 and its link 48 which is pivotally connected at the upper as itis engaged by the rolls 1, 2 its forward end engages almost immediately the projecting 'end 52 of a trip faston a` rock shaft 53 provided with a linger 54 for engaging and rocking a' lever 55 pivoted at 56 whose opposite end 57 thereupon lifts against a collar 58 of a trip rod 59 to raise the latter and thereby raise a second collar 60 on said rodl (see Fig. 16) to cause a dog or pawl 61 to engage the thinness measuring teeth 43, said, dog being pivoted at 62 and held` under normal upward' tendency by a spring 63. The rod 59 is guided in holes inA the frame and bed of the machine and is pivoted at-64 at its upper end to the free end of an arm 65 held downward by a spring 66, said arm being on a rock shaft 67, having at its inner end an arm 68 provided with a trip shoe 69 (said arm and shoe corresponding to the numbers 41-43 in the Nichols patent mentioned). The trip 52, or some equivalent mechanism for causing -the measuring of the blank to take place from its extreme front end, is necessary forcounters and the like, whereas the trip 69 is used for welt soles or the like .which should not be measured until they have .passed through to about the ball. The toothed sector 42, and the cooperating mechanism just described, constitute means for controlling the setting mechanism for the various graders or grading mechanisms. And all this mechanism intervening between the detector and v'graders istransmission mechanism. j Y

The setting mechanism for the splitter,V marker and indicator includes a plate-0r member in the form of a sector 70 mounted to swing on the pivot 40 and provided at vits forward end with anarcshaped groove or slotted-sleeve 71 retaining an 120 arc-shaped plate or bar 72 provided with a slot 73 for .receiving a depending pin 74 fast in the arm 41, said4 plate or bar 72 being normally held forward in the sleeve 71,` (see Fig.- 7) by a relatively heavy spring 75 fast at the near end (Fig. 125 7) to a stud 76 formed on the sector 70 and at the opposite end to a similar s'tud 77 depending from the bar 72. At its opposite end the sector 70 has a segmental rack bar 78 engaging a pinion 79 whose shaft 80,l atl its upper end has a similar 130 pinion 81 meshing with a rack 82 of a rack bar 83 which sets the stamping mechanism, splitter and indicator. These `grading mechanisms may be of any kind desired, being herein shown as having the same construction as in the wellknown Nichols grading machines, excepting in a few particulars hereinafter mentioned. A stamp wheel 84 is turned in desired adjustment by a pinion 85, swinging sector rack 86 and link 87 connected at 88 to the right hand end (Fig. 17) 140 of the rack bar 83. The rack bar 83 is held under tendency to move to the left, (Fig. 17) by a spring 89 `and1carries on its under side stepped Wedges or inclines 90 to be engaged by corresponding but ,oppositely inclined wedges 91 mounted on the movable journal blocks of the upper sklving roll or gauge roll 92. It will be understood that the particular kind o1 splitting mechanism which I. have shown is for evening to the grade detected, ,.0

but it will be understood that I may e'mploy other a varieties, as for instance, my iieshing grader shown in my application for a Fleshing and grading machine led July 26, 1922, Serial N0. 577,700,

now Patent No. 1,700,978, dated February 5, 1929. 'I'he lower skiving or splitting roll 93 is here shown yieldingly mounted on springs 94 as insaid patent and application, to cooperate with a single bevel knife 95, see Fig. 1, and the blank being evened or split is thence delivered to feed-out rolls 96, 97 (corresponding in general to rolls 98, 99 of my copending application already mentioned). It will be observed that the roll 93 is smaller than the roll 92 and has its axis slightly forward of the axis of the roll 92 and that the knife 95 is set as far forward, or as close to the bite of said rolls, as is possible and still get a feeding grip on the blank, fixed stops 98 (Figs. 1 and 6,) being provided for fixing this position of the knife whose cutting edge comes against the adjacent rear ends of said stops as shown in Fig. 6. By this arrangement the work, as it is fed along, is given a positive certain feeding ,grip between the rolls 92, 93 and yet the single bevel knife is permitted to have its cutting edge at the point of maximum eiiiciency so as to wedge oif downward the desired shaving or skiving from the blank without any danger of gouging or eating in on the body of the blank. Also the adjustment of the rolls is no longer necessary to accommodate a reground knife as the cutting blade is simply moved up against the stops 98 always, irrespective of whether it is a new blade or an old blade. These stops are set at the required point when the machine is built, the roll 93 being cut away at its ends therefor as indicated at 99 and they never have to be changed, as the relatively small roll 93 and its forward position; leaves the proper space and angle for always receiving the single bevel knife which is automatically positioned by simply adjusting it forward until its cutting edge hits the ends of the stops 98. This cannot be done with a double bevel knife, roll adjustment being necessary I have not shown the Visuall indicator in detail but merely the indicator arm 100 'and bracket 101, corresponding to the parts 84 and 88 respectively of Nichols Patent 1,130,321, to which reference is made for the further details. These three graders, viz, the indicator, the stamp, and the evener, are referred to as the main graders to distinguish them from the distributor which I have designated as a secondary grader, this arbitrary classification being for the purpose of distinguishing the grading mechanisms which are set by one portion of the apparatus from that grading mechanism whichlis set by another portion. 'Ihe main graders are set by the sector rack 70, 78, in response to the adjustment of the parts 42, 74, 72 etc.r and when set are lockedby the engagement of a pawl 102 with a ratchet 103 se- -curedtotheundersideofthesectorarmwjstbeneath the teeth '18,see Figs. 1, 7, 10, 11 and 12. For convenience, due to the confined space, I have employed a double toothed pawl 102 and two sets of teeth 103 cxtending in opposite directions as shown in Figs. 10, 11 and -17. The pawl 102 and its lever are held upward by a spring 104 l and moved downward at the proper time by an shown in Figs. 1 and 6, said lever 106 being pivotally mounted at any convenient point, herein shown as loosely on the shaft 109 of the chain feed. Thus'when the blank which has been and may still be engaged by the feeler rolls 1, 2 has been measured nearly or quite, and its front end has reached the trip wheel 108 and depressed the same thereby unlocking the main graders so that they can respond to the adjustment of the transmission mechanism or setting mechanism, these main graders are at once adjusted to correspond to the adjustment of the sector 42 who teeth have been engaged by pawl 6i, Figs-7 and 16. And as soon as the gate or trip 20 Fig. 1 has dropped down from the rear end of the blank said adjusting sector is locked thereby through the engagement of its teeth 44 and the pawl 45. As the blank is fed forward it next engages a final trip 110 fast on a rock-shaft 111 which depresses a rod 112, (see Figs. 1 and 17) into engagement with the free end 113 of a lever 114 pivoted at 115 on the frame and having an upstanding guide portion 116 for the rod 105, so that as the lever 114 is swung downward on its pivot the guide portion 116 thereof swings the free end of the rod 105 oif from the pawl arm 102 thereby permitting the latter to be raised instantly by its spring 104 into locking engagement with the teeth 103 so that thereafter the sector 70 is held immovable, positively locking the three main graders in their new adjustment. The lever 114 is normally held upward by a spring 117.

vThe rock-shaft 111 carries at its outer end, (see Fig. 3) a stub finger 118 in engagement with a projection 119 of a lever 120 pivoted at 121 on the frame of the machine and normally held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by a spring 122. Said lever carries at its swinging end a block 123 in position to engage a latch 124 normally held downward `by a spring 125 in the clutch cam holder 126 pivoted at 127 on the frame. As the trip 110 therefore was depressed by the blank just lbefore the latter reached nal position to be operated upon by the main graders the depression of said trip operatedthrough the rock-shaft 111 and its finger 118 to swing the lever 120 and the block 123 to the right, see Fig. 3, thereby releasing a clutch 128 whose clutch pin 129 thereupon engaged the out-turned slanting end 130 of a slide bar 131 connected by a link 132 to the free end 133 of a second clutch cam holder 134 and this movement of the bar 131 released the front clutch 15, 16. This at once starts the feeding-in end of the machine whose operation has already been described. To permit the necessary movement of the link 132 I have pivoted the same at 135 on an arm 136 which is pivoted at 137 on the frame.

-This construction causes the cam member 134 to swing to the left, (see Fig. 3) as the bar 131 moves to the right. A spring 138 tends to return said member 134 into clutch disengaging or stop- ,.ping position as soon as the pin 129- of clutch 128 has passed the out-turned end 130 of said bar. The clutch 128 is the same in construction as in the Nichols Patents Nos. 1,104,378 and 1,130,321 andsubstantially the same as in No. 1,046,213 already mentioned, and therefore needs no further description. The front clutch diiers, however, in an important particular. The upper roll 2 is lifted-against considerable spring resistance in I addition to the weight of the parts thereby bringing considerable pressure on the lifting levers 5, 7, 8, which produces a tendency to rotate the gears 13, 14, 15 to permit said roll 2 to lower prematurely. As a convenient means therefore of making this impossible and of keeping the movements of the roll 2 and the connected parts in proper timed relation, I have provided squared shouldersor interlocking teeth 139, 140 on the y lower ends of the dogs.

members 15, 1e of the front. durch. This makes it impossible for one member of said clutch to turn 4with relation to the other member when they are interlocked, the remaining driving connection being through spur gears 141, 142, 143, (Fig. 6) from the shaft 109 and its sprocket wheel 144 and drive chain which is also the feed chain of the machine as in the before-mentioned patents. A further detail in connection with the top roll 2 is shown in Figs. 1 and 16 where it will be seen that the central spring carries at its lower end a V-shaped bearing block 146 engaging a notch 147 in the yoke 3 thereby permitting more delicately responsive tipping movement of the roll 2. Also the posts 33 are bifurcated at their upper ends and provided with relatively long slots or apertures 148 (Fig. 2) embracing the rod 149 which is carried by the arms 34 and supports the spring 145. A` pin, preferably a cotter pin 150, passes through an opening in the rod 149 for adjustably locating each post on said rod. The purpose of thelongZ slotslor apertures 148 is to make it possible for the roll 2 to rise, even though all the remaining transmission mechanism is positively locked,"in case a jam or bunch should occur and the operator should fail to remove it before it had gotten between the rolls 1, 2.

Referring again to the rear clutch, its further rotation after having started the front clutch and hence the feeding-in mechanism for the next blank, is to actuate the stamp operating mechanism which I will not describe in detail vas it is the same as in the group of patents last mentioned, but will merely designate the parts 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156 which correspond respectively to the parts 61, 62, 63, 68, 67, and 66 of Nichols Patent N o. 1,130,321.

Meanwhile the first blank has just escaped from the skiving mechanism and been delivered bythe rolls 96, 97 to a chute 157 (Fig. 4) of the distributor mechanism and has been distributed. Thefdistributor mechanism consists, inthe preferred embodiment herein shown (and which is the same in many particulars as in my aforesaid copending application), of said chute 157 mounted on a rotary post 158 journaled in a housing 159 and provided with a pinion 160 to be operated by a rack 161 mounted to slide in said housing, see Fig. 7 shown as provided integrally at the outer end of a jointed bar 162, 163. The latter has a reduced end 164 reciprocating in a sleeve165 against which its shoulder 166 abuts as a stop at proper times under the iniiuence of a relatively heavy spring 167. A light spring 168 is fastened at 169. on the top plate of the housing 159 at one end and at its other end to a pin 170 .on the bar 162, this pin-also holding the outer end of the spring 167 whose inner end is secured by a pm 171 on the sleeve or inner portion 165 of the said mechanism for the distributor. On the under side of the member 163 is a rack 172 (Fig. 8) in position to be engaged by one or the other of the pawls or dogs 173, 174, (seeFigs. 7, 8, 9, 17 and 18) normally held upward by springs 175, 176 fast at their upper ends on a stationary part and at their lower ends on the out-turned Said out-tumed lower ends project through an opening 177 in the lever 114, see Figs. 17 and 18. The reason for having two dogs is so aste permit the teeth of the rack'172 to be coarsehand heavy to endurewearv and shock"=.of the sudden-movements of the bar 179 pivoted at 180 and held under engaging impulse by a spring 181. All the parts ofthe distributor and distributor setting mechanism thus far described are substantially the same in construction and operation as in my said copending application Serial No. 494,009, and, thereforeit is unnecessary to describe the Asame further in detail of construction or operation. The lever 114 carries a stud shown as an adjustable bolt 182 which engages a projecting portion of the lower edge ofv said pawl or detent 179 to disengage the latter from the ratchetv 178 when the lever is up as shown in Fig. 17, while permitting said pawl to engage said ratchet when the'trip 110 and rod 112 and hence the lever 114 are depressed. The sleeve 165 has a slot 183 in which depends a rigid post or wrist pin 184 at the free end of the arm 38, see Figs. 1, 7 and 17, said post or pin and its operation corresponding lto the part 146 in my copending application Serial No. 494,009. As the trip 110and its depending rod 112 which actuates lever 114 and thereby trips thedogs 173, 174 are down for the entire time thatthe blank which trips them is passing over said trip but it is desirable that said dogs should 100 engage their rack 172 as soon as the setting mechanism locked thereby has adjusted or set the distributor, I provide means for permitting said lever 114 to be restored very promptly after it has been lowered. This means is hereinshown- 1 as consisting of a bar 185 through which the rod 112 passes to engage the lever 114 said bar .hav-

ing a slot 186 and a headedV stud 187 connection with a stationary part at its left-hand end, see Fig; 7, and being normally held to the left by a no spring 188 but actuated in the opposite direction by a pin 189 projecting from the shaft 12 or rather from a sleeve 190 fast on said shaft (see Figs. 1 and 6) to engage an oblique out-turned end 191 of said bar 185. The said end 191 is held 115 up againstsaid sleeve by the end of a nger or plate 192 embracing the sleeve on the latters upper side, see Fig. 1,and resting in a groove formed in said sleeve to maintain it in proper position. Thus, as the trip 110 is lowered and releases the 120 setting mechanism for the distributor through the action of itsdepending rod 112, the same movement, through the rotation of the shaft 111 of said trip starts the 'trainof parts 128, 129, 130, 131,132, 134, 15, 16, 14, 13, 12 which causes the 125 pin 189 carried by said shaft 12 to pull the bar 185 to theright, (see Figsrl and 7) thereby shifting the free lower end of said depending rod 112 tothe right oi from the lever 114 so'that. the latter is instantly moved up by its spring 117. 130 This reengages one of the dogs 173, 174 with the rack 172 therebylocking the bar 162, 163 and the distributor in its new adjustment ready to receive the blank, which is just entering the evening rolls 92,' 93, when said blank `is evened and is 135 vready to be distributed.

My machine is particularly intended for handling counters which, as is well known, are shaped at their ends as shown in Fig. 24'.- Accordingly. the feed hopper has its rear wall 193, (see Fig. 21) 140 provided at its lower end with several ways or apertures 194 for receiving a deector foot or adjustor 195. This deector toot is mounted to move in one or the other of these apertures according to the requirements oi the shape, size, etc., ofthe given counter asI shown in Figs. 21

'and 24. The deiiector foot has a stem 196 sliding in a rectilinear way 197 and a V-shaped lower end terminating in an upstanding barb or foot 198 6 199, en es described and claimed in my applies.-

'tiOn Serial N0. 502,745, led September 23, 1921.

The present application does not seek to claim herein the hopper or stack, but only those features of construction in connection with the feeding which make it possible for my machine to work continuously and practically, from an automatic standpoint in feeding the work properly. The successive blanks fed into the machine are detected at their opposite edges, the detecting roll or feeler roll 2 being cut away at its middle portion as indicated at 200, see Fig. 16, in order that the roll may'- not be inuenced by the longitudinal middle portions or body. part of the blank being engaged and felt of along its edges. Therefore, it is vital that the blanksshall be directedright. Accordingly, I provide, in connection with the feeding mechanism, means such as the positioner 195 (or it may be any other kind of positioner) which can be shifted one way or the other to engage the front end of the counter and insure its proper direction. InAFigi-23 a shiftable plate carrier 195a having a spring detent 195o is shown to adjust the positioner 195. This is in connection with guidesor plates 201 which overlap a considerable portion of the length of the counter so as to maintain its direction. For convenience these are shown on the guides 202 in connection with the front wall 203 of the hopper. Thus, the stack of counters in the hopper is directed in usual manner by the hopper proper so that the stack or pile of countersgradually fall or lower onto the table in the right general direction, and then as the feeding takes place, the wings. 201 and the positioner 195 maintain said direction for the lowermost counter as it is fed forward by the projector 25 and connected feeding mechanism. If outer soles are being handled.

width adiustment or separation of said guides from each other, I have mounted the adjusting screw 205, see Fig. 16, which carries the threaded brackets 206 which support said guides, see Fig. 22, so that it can slide freely in a boss or support 207 Atherefor fastened on the front side of the wall 193. For convenience the screw 205 is'provided with a series of grooves 208 to beengaged' by a spring latch 209 so that the screw may be locked or released at will by depressing said latch.

` An indicating nger 210 (Fig. 5), is preferably provided pivoted at its lower end-.to the wall of the stack and connected at 211 to the screw to move therewith so as to indicate with reference to a scale 212 the distance to one side or the other when the operator has shifted .the guides. This is in position so that the operator readily sees the same as he is standing in the usual position at the side of the machine.

In use, the operation-of my machine is especially speedy, accurateV and -entirely automatic.'

The blanks, supported in a stack in the hopper on the table 28 are fed one by one accurately to the detecting mechanism and thence to the main group of graders and out to the secondary grader, herein shown as a distributor. Let it be supposed V0f the sector 70.

V-and thereupon the clutch pin 129 thereof has first engaged and shifted the bar 131 to the right, (see Fig. 3) thereby releasing clutch 16 which is operated to the extent shown in said Fig. 3 to open the feeding-in rolls 1, 2, and raise the gate ready to receive. a succeeding blank, and said blank has been moved part way as indicated by the position of the feed crank 21, link 22 and blank carrier parts 23, 24, 25 (Figs. 1 and 4). The forward or leading end of the blank (Figs. 6 and 19 showing these parts fully in), has just passed under the gate and is about to enter beneath the raised roll 2. Thereupon the gate falls on the blank due to the continued rotation of the shaft 12 and the passing from beneath the member 18 of the high point of the cam 17. This places the gate in position to operate as a locking trip later and meanwhile enables it to aid in holding the blank down flat on the table. A moment after the falling of the gate the feeler roll 2 falls or is lowered into detecting vengagement with the blank. As the blank is fed forward by the continued push of the feed projector 25 and the grip of the positively driven roll 1,- the leading end of the blank, a counter let us say, engages the trip 52 (it being understood that if it is a sole which is being fed, the trip 52 will be turned out of operative position and the blank will continue its progress without result until it strikes the trip 69) which, through its rock-shaft 53 and the parts 54, 55, 57, 58 and 59 raises the stop 60, (see Figs. 4 and 16) thereby causing the pawl 61 to engage the thinness measuring ratchet teeth 43 on theunderside of the measuring sector 42, see also Fig. 7. Thereafter each successive increment of thinness measurement is taken up by the I progressive action of these parts 61, 43 in the wellknown manner of the Nichols grading machine already mentioned. As the rear or following end of .the blank feeds along from beneath the gate trip 20 the latter drops and thereupon through the bell crank 50 and locking pawl 45 locks the sector 42 by vengaging the ratchet teeth 44 thereof. The positioning of the measuring sector 42 of the transmission mechanism has correspondingly positioned the\ pin 74 thereof in the slot 73 of the arc-shaped plate 72, free movem'ent of said pin being permitted irrespective of whatever position the sector 70 might bein because of the plate 72 having independent sliding movement due to its free mounting in the groove 71 of said sector. At about this moment in the travel of the blank the leading end of the blank engages and depresses the wheel trip 108 thereby swinging its lever 106 downward on its pivot 109 and bringing its depending rod 105 into lowering engagement with the detent lever 102 to unlock the same from engagement-with the teeth 103 on the ,under side of the left-hand end of the sectorv '10,

r1:0 a new adjustment by the spring a9 of the rack bar or wedge carrying plate 83 and the spring 75 itsstud77 against theadjacent edge of the sector 70 as shown in Figs. 7 and 14 and then to'swing thesectorandplatesomuchasmayberequired The action of. the spring 75 f is nrst to bring the arc plate 72 into position with.;

plate 83 and connected parts 81, 80, 79, 78, 87, 86,

85, 84 and 100 to such extent as may be required byl this new adjustment of the sector 70. The presence of the preceding blank between the rolls 92, 93 immovably locked the stepped wedges 90, 91 together,.thereby holding all parts immovable for the time being, but as soon as said piece escaped and permitted the roll 92 to drop. said wedges were thereby disengaged and the spring 89 coul'l have shifted all parts connected with it tothe extreme of their movement but for the fact that the parts were locked positively by the parts 102, 103. Because .of said locking, the said extreme movement of the sliding plate 83 and connected parts is prevented and the marker and visual indicator are held locked. This is a conv venience to the operator and it renders the machine much more nearly noiseless, and prevents the movement of all these parts with the preliminary upward'and downward opening or blankreceiving travel of the feeler roll 2 and with the succeeding downward travel of saidv roll in its measuring movement. Without this provision for positive locking, the slide bar 83 will always move in and out with the upward and downward travel of the upper front roll 2 after the blank leaves the splitting device' and the inclines are separated. Moreover, it holds the parts as previously set until the succeeding blank vhas been entirely measured and the measuring mechanism has been locked in accordance with thethinnest spot felt of, so that thereafter, when the sector 70 and the connected parts back to the slide bar or plate 83 are unlocked, they only move the very slight inward or outward distance to provide for the difference between the thickness of the blank just skived and the blank following it. This conduces to speed and general efficiency in the respeets already noted. During the feed of the blank the short distance from the wheel trip 108 td the final trip 110 the setting mechanism has adjusted and set all the main graders for said blank. Thereupon the leading end of said blank reaches and depresses the trip 110 which instantly locks all these main graders in their said set adjustment and also releases the setting mechanism for the distributor so as to adjust and set the distributor into position to distribute said blank. It also starts the feeding-in mechanism and raises the feeler roll 2 and gate 20 to feed in and receive a succeeding blank. The afresaid timing greatly increases the capacity of the machine. their adjustment is accomplished by the engagement of the rod 112 which depends from said trip 110 (Figs. 1, 7-11, 17, 18) with the free end 113 of the lever 114 which operates through its upstanding portion 116 to swing the rod 105 out of engagement with the detent 102 thereby permitting the spring 104 of the latter'to move the same into positive locking" engagement with the sector 70, which locks all the main graders in their latest set adjustment. The lowering of the trip 110 accomplishes the release of the distributor chute from its previous adjustment and theV setting of it in a new adjustment by the same The locking of the main graders inv lsudden movement of the marker in being s et .re-

der 166 against the sleeve 165 (unless they were already engaged with each other) and move said sleeve to the left, Fig. 7, until the right-hand end of the slot 183 thereof strikes against and is stopped by the Wrist-pin 184 (unless again these parts were already in that relation). The same 7,downward movement of the lever 114 permitted the dog 179 to engage the ratchet teeth 178 and thereby act as a check (like a dash pot) to prevent any movement of the sleeve and connected parts to the right, see Figs. 1 and 7, under the sudden swinging impulse and momentum of the l distributor chute. The starting of the ingoing mechanism by the lowering of the trip 110 is accomplished by the rock-shaft 111 of said trip and its connections which start the clutch 128 and the clutch 16, the latter directly operating all of the ingoing feeding and work receiving mechanism. As soon as the distributor setting mechanism has been adjusted to its new position it is locked in said adjustment by the shifting to the right, Fig. 1, of the bar 185 by the engagement of its plate 191 by the pin 189. Thisl acts to swing forward the rod 112 from engagement with the free end 113 of the lever 114 thereby permitting the spring 117 of the latter to raise it and thereby permit the dogs 173, 174 to lock into the bar 163 and the pawl 179 to disengage from the ratchet teeth 178. The same movement for unlocking the sector 70 when required later by, a third blank.

Thus, it will be understood, so far as the transmission mechanism is concerned, that the detecting mechanism adjusts and sets the measuring end or portion 42 and correspondingly positions the two pins 74 and 184. Thereafter the parts 72, 73, 75 77 and the end of sector 70, which is provided with groove 71, of the setting or transmission mechanism, are automatically shifted into position inaccordance with the pin 74 as soon as said parts are unlocked and released for such self-positioning action. Such positioning of said parts of the setting or transmission mechanism correspondingly adjusts the controlling means or 120 opposite end 78 of said setting mechanism which controls the main graders through the pinions 79,

81 and connected parts. Likewise'the distributor mechanism is similarly adjusted the right-hand end thereof, Fig. 7, constituting adjusting means 125 for the left-hand end which constitutes controlling means forcontrolling the distributor chute 157 with relation -to the receiving cans or receptacles (not shown). Both of these setting mechanisms for the main graders and the secondary grader as Well asthe measuring mechanism and the two groups or sets of graders are correlated with the feeding-in mechanism and the detecting means so that although the machine runs no faster .(i. e. the 'wheels rotate no 135 faster) than heretofore, yet the output is increased because one piece of stock follows as closely as` possible a preceding piece and practically all parts of the machine are operating at all times. The wide swinging and yet rapid or quired time. Here this movement iscut .down or reduced to a minimum, thereby saving .time t'o thatextent, and also this is accomplished during a period of time which was idle in the preceding machines of this type or at least was occupied@ simply with the feedingof the blank. By having' the feeding-in mechanism start just as the main graders are set and before they operate, I am able to start the actual measuring or useful detecting 150 of the blank soo ner than before, in fact almost as soon as the preceding measurement or detection has been transmitted to the main graders. This gains another increment of time. By delaying the adjustment of the distributor mechanism or at least of the chute until the second blank has reached the main graders, another increment of time is saved, permitting-the accurate and sure handling of a larger number of blanks in the same length of time or under a given extent of feeding travel. And by having all. the plurality of graders of the different kinds set dis- Asimultaneously as well as operating on and with reference to the blanks dissimultaneously, taken in connection with the unremitting or continuous c feeding movements of the blanks, a high efficiency lor speed of handling the blanks is attained.

Many of the features and combinationsI herein are also contained in my aforesaid copending application, and in the division thereof Serial No. 578,639, filed July 31, 1922.

Having described my invention, I wish it understood that it is capable of a wide variety of embodiments, certain features thereof being broadly novel and intended to be herein claimed correspondingly, and various of the combinations and sub-combinations being capable of separate use and in other relations and other combinations. I have already described and defined my invention in the ,preceding portion of this specication, and I now further define the same in the form of claims as follows.

I claim: y

l. A machine of the kind described, comprising ingoing mechanism for receiving and feeding blanks, including grade detecting mechanism for detecting the grade of successive blanks of stock according to thickness, and feeding mechanism and timing means for controlling the entrance of blanks to the detecting mechanism, and a main grader of the kind so described herein controlled in response to said grade detecting mechanism, combined with means to operate Asaid timing means to admit a blank to the detecting mechanism before a preceding blank has entered and been operated upon by said main grader.

2. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, grade detecting mechanism for detecting the grade of successive blanks of stock,

automatic feeding-in mechanism to feed the .blanks to said detecting mechanism, the aforesaid mechanisms comprising the ingoing end of the machine, a main grader of the kind herein so described adjacent the outgoing end-of the machine controlled in response to said detecting mechanism for utilizing the grade detection, and operating mechanism for all the foregoing, timed to start the ingoing end of the machine with relation to a second blank before the first blank has entered said main grader.

3. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, grade detecting mechanism for detecting the grade of successive blanks of stock, automatic feeding-in mechanism to feed the blanks to said detecting mechanism, a main grader of the kind herein so described adjacent the. outgoing end of the machine controlled in response to said detecting mechanism for utilizing the grade detection, and operating mechanism for all the foregoing, timed to feed in a second blank to 'said detecting mechanism before a rst blankf has left operative relation withsaid main grader.F

` A '4. In a machineof the kind described, in corni,

bination,'grace detecting mechanism for detect;

matic feeding-in mechanism to feed the blanks to said detectingmechanism, the aforesaid mechanisms comprising the ingoing end of the machine, a main grader of the kind herein so described adjacent the outgoing end of the machine controlled in responsev to said detecting mecha- ,nism for utilizing the grade detection, a, secondary grader also controlled in response to said detecting mechanism, and operating mechanism for all the foregoing, timed to start the ingoing end of the machine with relation to a second blank before the first blank has entered said main grader and timed to control said secondary grader for said second blank after the first blank has left the main grader. A

5. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, grade detecting mechanism for detecting the grade of successive blanks of stock.

automatic feeding-in mechanism to feed the blanks to said detectingmechanism, the aforesaid mechanisms comprising the ingoing end of the machine, a main grader of the kind herein so described adjacent the outgoing end of the machine controlled in response to said detecting mechanism for utilizing the grade detection, a secondary grader also controlled in response to said detecting mechanism, and operating mechanism for all the foregoing, timed to start the ingoing end of the machine with relation to a second blank before the first blank has entered said main grader and timed to control said secondary grader for said second blank before said second blank ha entered said main grader.

6. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, grade .detecting mechanism, three or more dissimultaneously operating graders of different kinds controlled in response to said single detecting mechanism, and controlling mechanism for automatically so controlling said graders timed to control them for successive operation.

'7. In a machine .of the kind described, in combination, grade detecting mechanism, three or more dissimultaneously operating graders of different kinds controlled in response to said single automatically so controlling said graders including means for setting at least two of said graders dissimultaneously and timed to control all the graders for successive operation, and feeding mechanism timed to feed a blank continuously through the machine in relation to the detecting mechanism and said three graders to be acted upon or with relation to in succession by said respective parts.

8. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, grade detecting mechanism, three or more dissimultaneous'ly operating graders of different kinds controlled in response to said single detecting mechanism, and transmission mecha- -nism and operating means for said graders con- .for detecting the grade of successive blanks according to thickness, skiving mechanism con trolled in response to said grade detecting mecha- 4nism for utilizingthe grade detection, means govingrthc grade- .ofsuccessive blanks of stock.' auto-l erning the admission of blanks to-said grade detecting mechanism, and means to operate said admission governing means to .admit a blank to the detecting mechanism -before a preceding blank has entered the said skivingmechanism.

10. In a machine of the kind described. in combination, grade detecting mechanism for detecting the grade of successive blanks according to thickness, a grader of the kind herein defined as `a main grader controlled in response to said de'- tecting mechanism for utilizing the grade detection, means governing admission of blanks to said grade detecting mechanism, and means to operate said admission governing meansv to admit a blank before a preceding rblank inthe machine has reached s aid main grader.

11. In a machine of the kind described, in com bination, grade detecting mechanism for detectto said grader toY time said feeding-in mechanism to feed a blank toward said detecting means before a preceding blank has reached said main grader; l

12:"In a machine of the kind described, in combination, means to detect the grade of blanks of stock, -a graderof the kind herein dened as a main grader to operate lwith reference vto the blanks in accordance with said detecting means, andmeans operated by the passage'of blanks to control the admissionfof a blank to said detectingv means before `a preceding blank has-been acted upon by said grader.

13. In a machine of the kind described, in combinatiomgrade detecting mechanism for detecting lthe gradeof successive blanks according to thickness, governing means to control the admission of blanks to said gradedetecting mechanism, a main grader and .also a secondary vgrader Ato act with reference to the detected blanks in accordance with said grade detecting mechanism,

and actuating means to actuate the admission governing ymeans to admit to said grade detecting mechanism a third blank before a second blank has reached. said main graderand after a irst blank has left said main grader and reached said secondary grader.

A14. In a machine cf the kind described-in combination, feeding-in mechanism at the front of themachine, detecting mechanism to detect the thinnest spot amonga plurality of spots `of varylng thickness ina leather piece, a grader of the kind herein defined as a main grader for utilizing said vgrade detection, intermediate setting mechanism for setting said grader in response to said grade' detection, and connections between said setting mechanism and said feeding-in mechanism for starting the feeding-in mechanism..

with relation to' a succeeding piece before the pre# c eding piece has been acted upon by said grader.

.15. In a machine ofthe kind described, incombination, grading'mechanism of the kind herein dened as main grading mechanism, mechanism for setting the grading mechanism in accordance with a characteristic of a blank, and means whereby a succeeding blank may' be .fed'toward said settingmechanism before the preceding.

blank has enteredinto operative position with reference to said main grading. mechanism.

16. In a machine of the kind described, in com- 4ondary grading mechanism' as, defined herein,

bination, main grading mechanism and secondary grading mechanism of the kinds so definedherein. mechanism for setting said two kinds of grading mechanisms dissimultaneously in accordance with a characteristic of a blank, and means whereby a succeeding blank may be fed toward the setting mechanism before a preceding blank reaches operative relation with said main grading mechanism and may be -fed to the setting mechanism during the time that said preceding blank is reaching operative relation with said secondary grading mechanism.

17. In a. machine of the kind described, in combination, main grading mechanism and ,secondary grading mechanism as defined herein,

and mechanism for dissimultaneously adjusting said two grading mechanisms in accordance with a characteristic of a blank, said mechanisms being relatively-'constructed and arranged to be ineifective and containing adjusting means rendering the same ineffective to completely adjust the main grading .mechanism upon the introduc- 'tion to the adjusting mechanism of a succeeding and mechanism for adjusting said two grading mechanisms in accordancelwitha characteristic 0f.a blank, said mechanisms being relatively constructed and arranged to 4be ineffective and con- 1 taining 'meanslrendering the same inetfective to completely adjust the main grading mechanism upon the introduction to the adjusting mechathe secondary grading mechanism, both wl reference to said succeeding blank.

19. In a machine of the kind'described, in com- 125 bination, grade detecting mechanism for detecte ing the grade of successive blanks according to thickness, grading mechanism of the kind herein dened as main grading mechanism and separate grading mechanism'of the kind herein de- 1 iinedas secondary grading mechanism, both -responsive to ysaid gradedetecting mechanism for utilizing the grade detection, and means for maintaining thegrade` determination as transmitted to the maingrading-mechanism until a rst blank leaves the main grading mechanism 1 20. In a machine of the kind described-in combination, grade detecting mechanism for detecting the grade of successive blanks according to thickness, mechanism of the kind herein defined' ico as main grading mechanism responsive to. said 1&5

grade detecting mechanism for utilizing the grade detection, a trip adapted to extend in advance of the detecting mechanism in the path of a-v blank being fed,transmission Amechanism' reing locking means actuated by said trip when a rst blank has passed from engagement therewithto lock said transmission mechanism in accordance with the grade detection and including restoring means for restoring said trip to position for a succeeding blank before the preceding blank has reached said main grading mechanism.

21. In a machine of the kind described, means for detecting the grade of blanks for the thinnest spot felt of, grading means of the kind herein defined as main graders, governed by the detecting means, combined with mechanism for setting and locking said grading means and including means constructed and arranged to admit a blank to the detecting means before the preceding blank has entered operative relation with said main grading means.

22. In a machine of the kind described, means for detecting the grade of blanks for the thinnest spot felt of, and grading means of the kind henein defined as main graders governed by the detecting means, combined with mechanismfor setting and locking said grading means including a member extending in front of the detecting means and cooperating actuating means constructed and arranged to permit the entrance of a blank to the detecting means before the preceding blank has reached operative position with relation to said grading means.

23. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, grade detecting mechanism, feeding mechanism to feed the blanks through the machine, mechanism of the kind herein deiined as main grading mechanism responsive to said grade detecting mechanism for utilizing the grade detection, a movable gate governing admission of blanks to the grade detecting mechanism, and means independentof said grading mechanism adapted to control the opening and closing of the gate and actuated by a blank during its feeding action, said gate controlling means including mechanism adapted, when actuated by such passing blank, to open the gate to admit a succeeding blank to the detecting mechanism before said passingblank has reached operative relation to said grading mechanism, and then to permit the gate to close down on said succeeding blank.

24. In a machine of the kind described, in comb ination, blank feeding means, a gate adapted to close when the blank is fed therethrough, grade determining devices, automatic mechanism vof the kind dened herein as main grading mechanism to utilize the grade determination and 55., controlled by said grade determining devices, and

blank engaging means to maintain the gate closed until a predetermined time in the cycle of operations of the machine prior to the blank reaching said main grading mechanism.

25. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, means to detect a thin place in a leather piece, grading mechanism of the kind defined herein as main grading mechanism, setting means for setting said grading mechanism in accordance with the determinations ofsaid detecting means and actuated in connection with said detecting means, including means for locking said mainl grading mechanism as set but permitting the eective operation of the detecting means in response to a succeeding leather piece before said first-mentioned piece has -reached effective position with relation to said main'grading mechanism.

28. In a machine of vthe kind described, in

l combination, means for detecting the grade of successive blanks, grading mechanism, including a splitting knife, to grade said blanks in accordance with said detecting means, and transmission mechanism controlled by said detecting means and controlling said grading mechanism, said transmission mechanism containing at least two portions, one of which controls said grading mechanism and includes a lock for positively locking the latter, and the other of which is capable of responding to said detecting means during the time the other is locked.

I 2'7. In a machine of. the kind described, in combination, means for detecting the grade of successive blanks according to their thickness, governing means to control the admission of blanks to said detecting means, main grading mechanism as herein defined, to grade the detected blanks in accordance with said detecting means, and actuating means to actuate said governing means to admit to said detecting means a succeeding blank before a preceding blank has reached said main grading mechanism.

28. In a machine of the kind described, means for gaging successive blanks to detect their thickness-grades, and grading means of the kind defined herein as main graders for operating on the blanks so detected, combined with a twoportion mechanism responsive to said detecting means and governing said grading means, one portion controlling the other portion but timed to act dissimultaneously.

29. In a machine of the kind described, means for gaging successive blanks to detect their thickness-grades, grading means of the kind defined herein as main graders for operating on the blanks so detected, and grading means of the kind herein defined as secondary grading means, combined with a `two-portion mechanism responsive to said detecting means and governing said main grading means, one portion controlling the other portion but timed to act dissimultaneously, and a second two-portion mechanism responsive to said detecting means and governing said secondary grading means, one portion controlling the other portion but timed to act dissimultaneously as to its other portion and also dissimultaneously with relation to the operation of said first-mentioned two-portion mechanism.

30. In a machine of the kind described, means for detecting successive blanks according to their thickness, combined with automatic grading mechanism of the kind defined as a main grader to operate with relation to the blanks as detected, including skiving means, a gate controlled by4 the position of a blank for locking said detecting means against further detecting adjustment, and independent tripping means also controlled by the position of a blank for locking and unlocking said maingrading mechanism.

31. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, grade determining mechanism for determining the thickness to which a blank shall be split, and automatic feeding mechanism for feeding successive blanks to said mechanism, splitting means, and sorting mechanism for receiving the successive blanks in accordance with the thickness thus determined and to which they have been split, said feeding mechanism being timed to feed in a third blank before a second blank in the machine has been split and while a rst blank is being sorted.

32. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, means for detecting successive blanks according to their thickness, a main grader and a blank delivering member to distribute the blanks, both responsive to said detecting means, controlling means to'set said main grader for grading a blank, controlling means to set said blank delivering member for sodistributing the blank, and adjusting mechanisms for adjusting also with relation to thecorresponding portion of by said detecting means-irrespective oi' the parthe other part, a spring connecting said two portions-in each case, and locking means for said main grader and also for said member to hold the same during the operation thereof with relation to a blank and thereafter to vrelease said grader and to release said member and permit said springs to move the other connected portion in accordance with the portion respectively, said spring responsive portions being timed to act dissimultaneouslm 34. In a machine of the kind described, means for detecting successive'blanks according to their thickness, combined with a main grader adjustable through a given range of irons for grading the detected blanks according to their irons as determined by said .detecting-means. and a de- 1 livering member movable through a given range of irons Vfor distributing the detected blanks 'according to their irons, 'means for locking said grader for any given iron during the grading thereby'of a blank o! said given iron, and an element for controlling the graderadjustable by said detecting means to any given iron ascertained ticular iron to which said grader may be locked at the time, means for locking said delivering member for any given iron during thedelivery thereby of a blank ot' saidgiven iron, and an element for controlling said delivering member adjustable by said detecting means to any given iron ascertained by said detecting means irrespective of the particular'iron to 'which said delivering member may be locked at the time. and means to unlock the grader and the delivering member after they have respectively graded and delivered the blank, to permit the grader and delivering member to assume the positions-determined by their said respective controlling elements.

35. In a machine ofthe kind described, means for detecting successive blanks according to their thickness, combined with lamain grader adjustable through a given range olf-irons for grading the detected blanks according to their irons as A determined by said detecting means, and adei 'livering member movable through a given range a of irons for` distributing the detected blanks according to their irons, means for locking said g adjustable by said detecting means to any given iron ascertained by said, detecting means irrespective of the particular iron to which said delivering member may be locked at the time, and

means dissimultaneously to unlock the grader and the delivering member after they have respectively graded and delivered the blank, to permit the grader and delivering member dissimultaneously to assume the -positions determined by their said.l

respective controlling elements.

36. In a machine ofthe kind described, means for detecting successive blanks according to their thickness, combined with a main grader and with an automatic distributing mechanism for grading and distributing said blanks as detected, a gate controlled by the position of a blank for locking said detecting means against further effective detecting adjustment, and independent tripping mechanism also controlled by the position of a blank for locking andl unlocking said main grader and said distributingfmechanism.

Yfor detecting successive blanks according to their thickness, combined with a main grader and with an automatic distributing mechanism for grading and distributingsaid blanks as detected, a gate controlled by the position of a blank for 37. In a machine of the kind described, means locking said detecting means against further ef.-

. therefrom to said gate in position to be actuated by a blank just before it reaches said grading means for controlling said gate.

39. In a machine of the kind described, detectmeans for measuring successive blanks according to their thickness, including upper and lower members adapted to receive. the blanks between them for detecting their thicknesses, grading means of the kind herein defined as main. grading means for grading the' blanks as gaged. and a trip and connections therefrom to said detecting means in position to be actuated by a blank just before it has reached said main 4grading means'for .separating said .members to receive a succeeding blank. f

40. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting means for measuring a blank.`

a grader of the kind herein dened as a main i grader, means for locking saidl grader in position whether or not a blank is then being graded thereby, means responsive to the measurements o'f said detecting means for storing power while the grader is locked to be subsequently utilized when the grader is unlocked-toadjust the grader to its grader. for any given iron during the grading g proper grading position for a succeeding blank.

.thereby of a blank of said given iron, and an elemeans for unlocking the grader to permit its ment for controlling the/grader 'adjustable by adjustment.

said detecting means tn any'given iron ascertained by said detecting means irrespective of the par- 41.,1n a machine of the sind described, in iombinatiom detecting means for measuring ticular 'iron to which said grader may belocked blanks in successioman adjustable grader ofthe at the time, means for locking said ldelivering member for any given iron during the delivery thereby o! a blank of said given ironfand an element for controlling said delivering member kind herein defined as a main grader for gradgingsaid series offblanks, means for selectively Iadjusting said maingrader or at least a conpart 4thereof or therefor directly from one adjusted position it occupies to a next position corresponding to the measurement of the next blank to be graded thereby or permitting said grader to remain in its said occupied position, according as the measurement of the saidl next blank differs from or conforms to the measurement for which the grader is already positioned.

42. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting means, a grader of the kind herein dened as a main grader, and mechanism for setting said main grader to grade blanks in accordance with thedeterminations of said detecting means, said setting mechanism including means permitting the adjustment of said main grader to take place directly from the position of adjustment for one blank to the position of adjustment for another blank without having rst to go back to a predetermined starting point.'

43. In a machine of the kind described, detecting means for measuring a succession of blanks, a grader of the kind herein defined as a main grader which is itself adapted to occupy, or has at least a controlling part thereof or therefor adapted to occupy, a plurality of operating positions for grading blanks, a movable controlling device therefor, the position of which is determined by said detecting means, and actuating means for said main grader or part, the extent and direction of movement of which is determined by the position of said device.

44. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting means for measuring blanks, a device adjustable to grade a blank in the respect described as main grading, said adjustment being reciprocal in one direction or another,

. an automatically actuated member 4for adjusting said device, and means responsive to said detecting means for insuring such a movement of said automatically actuated member, in direction and extent, as to adjust said device to a position of grading as determined by said detecting means.

45. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting mechanism for measuring successive blanks, a grader of the kind herein defined as a main grader, transmission mechanism adjustable in response to said detecting mechanism for setting said grader for each blank detected, and means cooperating with said transmission mechanism for adjusting the grader directly from position for the measurement of one blank to the position for the measurement of the next blank.

46. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting mechanism for measuring successive blanks, a grader of the kind herein dened as a main grader, a spring actuated slide bar for controlling the operative position of said main grader, mechanism adjustable in response to said detecting mechanism, and means cooperating with said adjustable mechanism for giving said slide bar a unidirectional movement directly from the position last occupied to the position required for the grading of the next blank.

4'?. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting mechanism for measuring successive blanks, a grader of the kind herein defined as a main grader, transmission mechanism adjustable in response to said detecting mechanism for setting said grader for each blank detected, a secondary grader, and transmission connections for receiving adjustment from said detecting mechanism and setting said secondary grader, and means to cause said transmission connections to set the secondary grader for a given blank before the main grader has operated with reference to the same blank.

48. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting mechanism for measuring successive blanks, a grader of the kind herein defined as a main grader, transmission mechanism adjustable in response to said detecting mechanism for setting said grader for each blank detected, a secondary grader, and transmission connectionsl for receiving adjustment from said detecting mechanism and setting said secondary grader, said transmission mechanism and connections including means permitting the detecting mechanism to measure a succeeding blank while a preceding blank is still in operative relation to said main grader and has not yet reached said secondary grader.

49. In a machine of the kind described, in comb ination, detecting mechanism for measuring successive blanks, a grader of the kind herein dened as a 'main grader, transmission mechanism adjustable in response to said detecting mechanism for setting said grader for each blank detected, a secondary grader, and transmission connections for receiving adjustment from said detecting mechanism and setting said secondary grader, and feeding-in mechanism timed to feed in a second blank before the first blank is through the main grader.

50. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting mechanism for measuring successive blanks, a grader of the kind herein defined as a main grader, transmission mechanism adjustable in response to said detecting mechanism for setting said grader for each blank detected, a secondary grader, and transmission connections for receiving adjustment from said detecting mechanism and setting said secondary grader, said transmission mechanism and connections including means permitting the detecting mechanism to measure a succeeding blank while a preceding blank is still in operative relation to said main grader and has not yet reached said secondary grader, and feeding-in mechanism timed to feed in said succeeding blank to the detecting mechanism before the preceding blank is through the main grader.

51. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting mechanism for measuring successive blanks, a grader of the kind herein dened as a main grader, transmission mechanism adjustable in response to said detecting mechanism for setting said grader for each blank detected, 130

and ingoing controlling means and timing connections for starting said controlling means and said detecting means to receive a secod blank before the first blank has reached said grader.

52. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, detecting mechanism for measuring successive blanks, a grader of the kind herein defined as a main grader, transmission mechanism adjustable in response to said detecting mechanism for setting said grader for each blank deteeted, and feeding-in mechanism timed to feed a second blank to said detecting mechanism before the preceding blank has reached said main grader. f W

53. In a machine of the kind described, detecting mechanism for measuring blanks according to their' thickness, including two members movable to measure the blanks, feeding-in mechanism to feed the blanks to said/detecting mechanism, a gate in front of said two members,l and operating 

